Harrow.



No. 738.671. PATENTED SEPT. a, 1903. J. F. FULKBRSON.

a HARROW.

APPLICATION IILBD JAN. z, 1903.

, N0 MODEL.

blades at the other side [MTE STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

HARROW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,671, datedSeptember 8, I903.

. .hpplioation filed January 2, 1903. Serial No. 1 37,502. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, J AMES FREDERICK Fun KERSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Oxnard, in the county of Ventura and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Harrow, of which thefollowing is a specification. T

This invention relates to that class of harrows in which thedevices forOperating upon the soil consist of sharp-edged blades secured to theunder side of a. frame and twisted so as to present inclined cuttingedges, said cutting edges being not only vertically inclined, but alsolaterally inclined, the blades at one side of the center of the machinebeing set so as to extend in adirection opposite to the of the center ofthe machine; I

My invention has for its object to provide a device of this class whichshall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability,and general efficiency.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the improvedconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts which will behereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a harrowconstructed in accordance with the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 isa bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing myimproved implement in: operative position with the teeth engaging theground and also with dotted lines indicating the position when the frameis tilted, so as to raise the blades or cutters from the soil. Fig. 4isabottom plan view illustrating a modification.

Corresponding parts in the m several figures are indicated by similarcharacters of referonce.

The frame of my improved harrow consists of a base-beam 1, to the frontedge of which is secured an upwardly-inclined flange-beam whichcooperates with the base-beam to constitute what might be termed arocker.

tended rearwardly to support a seat 6, which is located in rear of therear edge of the baseboard. The base 5 is extended rearwardly beyondsaid seat, so as to form a lever 7,by means of which the frame may bemanipulated.

The blades or cutters of my improved harrow are composed of steel barsof suitable dimensions having the horizontally-disposed front ends8,which are fitted against the under side of the base-beam, from whichthe blades 9 project rearwardly,sai d blades being formed by twistingthe steel bars so as to form the shanks 10. The blades 9, it will thusbe observed, are thus disposed at an angle to the butt portions orhandles 8, whereby they are attached to the frame. The said blades arefurthermore disposed in a horizontal plane lower than that occupied bythe handles 8, the difference being equal to the height of the shanks.Said blades are furthermore disposed at an angle to the horizontal planeoccupied by the handles 8 and by'the under side of the frame of themachine.

In practice I prefer to use two sets of blades extendiu g laterally inopposite directions, the central blades being set closely together attheir point of attachment, as will be clearly seen in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, so that the blades will extend laterally and outwardly fromtheir respective points of attachment. The arrangement, however, maybevaried, as shown in Fig. 4, by reversing the position of the blades onopposite sides of the center, when the blades will extend laterally inan inward direction from their respective points of attachment. Ineither casethe operation will be practically the same; but when theblades are arranged as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings Iprefer to arrange be tween the two center blades a vertically-disposedknife or cutter, as shown at 11, which serves to cut and divide weedsand rubbish which might otherwise exhibit a tendency to become entangledwith the said central blades. The lower edges of the blades, as well asthe front edges of the shanks, are,however, sharpened, so that weeds,rubbish, and trash of any kind encountered bythe device may be readilycut, so as not to interfere with the operation of the device to anymaterial extent.

The handles or butts of the several blades are secured to the under sideof the beam 1 by means of vertical bolts 12, provided at their upperends with nuts 13. These bolts are arranged near the rear ends of thebutts or handles, and the latter are secured near their front ends bymeans of clips 14:, the arms of which extend through suitableperforations in the base of the frame and are provided with nuts 15. Bythis construction the blades of the devices will be held with a greatdegree of security and with much less tendency to break than if thebutts or handles were perforated for the reception of a second bolt neartheir front ends. By the arrangement shown and described the butts orhandles will be securely supported against any strain that may beexerted upon them, as will be readily understood.

The operation of my improved device will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the drawings heretoannexed. Ordinarily the frame of the device forms a drag that engagesthe surface of the soil into which the blades constituting the cuttersare forced by the Weight of the frame,assisted by the weight of thedriver, who may occupy the seat 6. Should it be desired to tilt thedevice in order to throw the blades out of engagement with the soil,this may be effected by the driver placing his feet against the frontcleat or flange 2 and catching hold of the lever 7, throwing his weightin a forward direction. This position of the device has been illustratedin dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The device may also beconveniently regulated by the driver so as to cut into the soil to anydesired extent.

Should it be deemed desirable or necessary, the frame may beadditionally supported by means of wheels which may be mounted upon asuitably-disposed axle. Supporting devices of this nature, however,being well known in the class of agricultural implements to which myinvention relates it has been deemed unnecessary to illustrate the samein the accompanying drawings.

I have in the foregoing described a simple and preferred form of myinvention; but I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myselfto the precise construction and arrangement of details herein shown anddescribed, but reserve the right to any changes, alterations, andmodifications which may be resorted to without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention or sacrificing the utility of the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim,

1. In a device of the class described, a dragbeam, an upwardlyinclinedflange at the front edge of the same, braces upon the dragbeam, near theends thereof and serving for the attachment of the inclined flange,braces upon the drag-beam near the center thereof and serving for theattachment of the flange, said braces being also extended rearwardly,one of them forming an operating-lever, a seat supported upon therearwardly-extending portions of said central braces, and cuttingdevices secured to the under side of the drag-beam.

2. In a device of the class described, a rocking frame constituting adrag, cutting devices secured to' and extending rearwardly from theunder side of said frame, a seat supported above and in rear of saidframe, and a lever extending rearwardly from said seat.

3. In a device of the class described, a rocking frame constituting adrag, cutting devices secured to the under side of said drag and havinglaterally and outwardly extending blades, and an auxiliary cutterdisposed between the two central cutting devices and extendingrearwardly between the laterallyextending blades of said central cuttingdevices.

4;. In a device of the class described, a rocking frame constituting adrag, a plurality of cutting devices secured to the under side of saiddrag and consisting of horizontally-disposed butts, downwardlyextendingtwisted shanks and laterally and outwardly extending inclined blades,and an auxiliary cutter disposed between the two central cutting de-vvices, said central auxiliary cutter being secured to the under side ofthe frame.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. JAMES FREDERICK FULKERSON. lVitnesses:

H. M. STAIRE,

J. M. STAIRE.

